Can I Come Into Class Late?

One of the lovely things about Reach Yoga is you don’t have to arrive particularly early for most classes. Parking is (usually) not a problem. Classes are (generally speaking) not that crowded. You can (probably) arrive five minutes before class starts, and feel perfectly on time.

That said, as we grow, there have been some times when it’s more difficult to park … and perhaps you arrive a bit later than you planned. Or, life just intervenes and you walk in the door 5 minutes after class has started. Or, it’s a super-popular class time, and you arrive a few minutes late to find students are lined up mat-to-mat. Should you skip yoga, or tiptoe in a few minutes late?

At Reach, our teachers are in charge of their classes, so they can set the boundaries as to how late is acceptable for their classes. So if you have a favorite class and would like to know your teacher’s view on this, please ask her or him. Their answer pertains to your safety as well as the comfort of others. Classes are carefully sequenced to incorporate warming up and tuning in prior to more demanding poses; if you join at the wrong time, you may risk getting injured. So … please ask, and respect your knowledgeable yoga instructor.

If you do have your teacher’s blessing to come in late, if you can, call us at 847-786-4211 … hopefully we can drop a mat for you. (If you have your own, you can place it on top of ours.)

Before you enter the studio late, please consider these tips, to be as little disruptive as possible:

Remember to sign in for class. (If you need to pay after or even on another day, we can generally accommodate you.)

Leave your coat, yoga mat bag/carrier (especially if it has velcro!), and other non-valuables in the boutique area. My lawyer says I have to say “Don’t leave valuables!” So don’t. That said, the front desk is competently staffed 9-5 every day.

Before entering, be sure your phone and any other beeping or buzzing devices are turned *off* (not just to buzz).

Peek in to see whether it looks like a good time to enter.

As you enter the room, consider these tips to merge seamlessly into the class:

If possible, catch the teacher’s eye; she might point to a good spot to place your mat.

If you can’t get specific direction from the teacher, please take a spot near the door where you entered.

If the class is meditating or breathing quietly when you enter, come in and take a seat on the floor wherever you can. Set up your mat once the practice begins. This will allow for the least disruption.

If it’s more than a few minutes past the class start time, and depending on the teacher’s philosophy and how crowded the class is, maybe consider a class later that day.

Thanks so much for considering this guidance … We love our students, whether on time, late, or early and chatting with our wonderful community of yogis.